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Exclusion zone lifted and residents to return home

Cameron WeldonPlymouth
News imageBBC The picture shows a large multi storey building completely wrapped in grey protective sheeting, with scaffolding visible along the right hand side where work appears to be ongoing. The wrapping covers almost the entire structure, leaving only small gaps where scaffolding platforms and metal poles can be seen. The building sits on a street corner, and the road in front is shut off with metal barriers, red and white cones and temporary fencing. A red sign in the foreground reads “Road closed"BBC
Evolution Cove in Plymouth was evacuated on 20 March with an exclusion zone put in place on 17 April

Residents living near a housing complex who were evacuated from their homes amid safety concerns the building could collapse can return home after more than a month away.

People were asked to leave Evolution Cove in Plymouth on 20 March after engineers discovered damage to key structural beams in the 64-unit apartment block.

A 27m (88.5ft) exclusion zone was later installed on 17 April around the complex in Durnford Street, and 14 nearby households were also evacuated.

Plymouth City Council announced said it was planning to lifting the exclusion zone from 08:00 BST on Wednesday after it and Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service deemed the area safe enough for the 14 households to return.

News imageThis image is taken from lower down the road and puts a large red warning sign in the foreground. The sign reads “Road ahead closed” in bold white capital letters and is propped up on a black metal stand on a patch of grass at the roadside. Behind it, there is a low black iron fence and dense greenery, including bushes and small trees, which partly obscure the view beyond.
A 27m (88.5ft) exclusion zone was put in place around Evolution Cove in Durnford Street amid safety concerns

Some businesses said the exclusion zone had affected their trade.

The authority said a meeting took place on Tuesday between building owners Grey GR, engineers, structural experts, and the fire service to discuss the remediation work.

It said the work to the 2008-built structure involved installing props within its underground car park, which was followed by a short period of monitoring to check its stability.

After review, it said teams would start dismantling the exclusion zone and the traffic management system.

Plymouth City Council said it would inform the evacuated 14 households that they could return to their properties.

Glenn Caplin-Grey, from Plymouth City Council, said: "We know this has not been an easy time for anyone – the residents of Evolution Cove, their neighbours who had to leave their homes and the residents and businesses of the wider Stonehouse peninsula.

"We would just like to say thank you for bearing with us."

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